Forget
stuffy job fairs or faxing your resume to a potential employer. These days, you
can hit the bar scene and the job market all at the same time!

According
to experts, cocktail parties and other social events are now all the rage in
the recruiting world, but not everyone is able to stay professional while
partying, and one more round may mean one less job offer in the morning.

"What
better than to shake hands over a beer than a resume?" asked Denise Duke, a job
hunter.

Duke
is taking part in a different kind of job fair, where candidates fly in from
around the country to attend social events with prospective employers. It's a
mixture of martinis, music and mingling.

"It
allows people to mix and mingle and network and get to know each other on a
much better level than at a job fair," explained Rich Maloy, executive director
of Boulder Start Up Week.

Dan
Ryan, of the Society of Human Resources Management, says this kind of ‘social
recruiting' is a growing trend around the country, especially amongst start-up
tech firms looking for younger talent.

"It's
almost like speed dating," Ryan said. "By doing that, both groups get a better
idea of what the other one is like before they actually get down to business."

Tim
Falls is looking to fill more than 40 open positions at his start-up, SendGrid,
and says he likes seeing potential employees in this element.

"They're
not as stuffy and they're not as nervous," Falls said. "They might not even
know they're talking to someone who might be a potential employer."

"Culture
is such an important part of hiring environments today, especially in small and
start-up companies," Maloy added. "You have to make sure that people are going
to fit within your culture."

Ryan
warns participants, however, that these events can lead to unprofessional behavior,
which could cost job seekers their opportunities.

"It's
just like the office Christmas party, where you always hear the stories about
people who get out of control," Ryan said. "You want to be somebody who stands
out to the employer, but you don't want to stand out in the wrong way."

So
how do you stand out at such an event? Ryan had a few recommendations:

Research the attending companies ahead of time.

Be prepared to hand out business cards.

Keep alcohol consumption to a minimum.

Force yourself to engage – even if you're shy.

"Go
to an event and just kind of wander around and see what other people are doing,"
he suggested.

Denise
Duke did just that.

"I'm
very much connecting with as many people as I can, shaking hands, figuring out
what their business model is and how I can help them," she said.

Duke
managed to get a follow-up interview out of a recruiting event she attended.

According
to the experts, social media plays a role in social recruiting. In addition to
the larger, planned events, some companies and individuals sponsor ‘Tweet-ups' –
spontaneous networking get-togethers promoted on Twitter and other social media
platforms.

Interim Glynn County Police Chief John Powell announced that the department is offering a $2,500 dollar reward on Tuesday for any information that could lead to the arrest of any person(s) who could be responsible for the death of 18-year-old Tashara Culbreath.

Interim Glynn County Police Chief John Powell announced that the department is offering a $2,500 dollar reward on Tuesday for any information that could lead to the arrest of any person(s) who could be responsible for the death of 18-year-old Tashara Culbreath.